Friday, November 6, 2009

拿人錢財替人消災 (ná rén qián cái tì rén xiāo zāi) is a chinese idiom to imply literally taking people money to help them to solve their woes or problems. This is being told by one of my elderly Chinese educated friend, an idiom that reflects the working class, ie, for those for work for people. As we got a job, working for people, we take the job, get the money, and then actually help them to solve their problems.This means, solving other people problem by working for people, and in return we are compensated by money. If you work in the company as a clerical clerk, you are ask to solve your boss, paperwork, answering his call, and filing or scheduling job, and in return you are paid with an amount of money. However, most of us are compensated by a fixed amount of money, as we are paid monthly salary in exchange of our time. Annual increment is a very little, probably just a little bit higher then the current fixed deposit rate. Some work in the company, with no increment due to bad economy.

Hmm.., I kept wondering, does this apply also to work for yourself, being your own boss. You could not solve your own problem and expect to get compensated, aren't it. Therefore, I guess this also apply to working for yourself. You have to solve other people problem in order to get compensated. Just like, a shop mechanic solving other people car's problem, and then get paid for money. A private doctor, solving patient by prescribing medicine to help to treat illness. This idiom, applies both way, to those who work for people and to those who work for yourself.

However, there is a difference in getting your compensation of money. Solving other people problem, with your highly knowledgeable skill and experience will get you compensated more. If word of mouth spread, many people will come to see you to solve their problem, e.g. self-employ mechanics or traditional chinese doctors.

I like to hear your view on this.
Does working for people will make you more money? or
You work for yourself will make you more money?

Does both above, use the concept (as per chinese idiom description) of solving other people problem, to be compensated by money?

We can't say work for yourself will earn more. It could be the other way round. Whether working for someone is low risk now is also questionable. Both are also a game that depends on how you want to play that will end up the same result.

This is my opinion. You always want to work for yourself no matter what and if you're working for someone else, please also make sure you're actually working for yourself (e.g. I work for you because it is an investment on me)